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			DecaTriathlon Mexico	38 km	1800 km	422 km
			(10 x Ironman distance)

1998 RESULTS (November 16-30, Monterrey) Place Athlete Swim Bike Run Race Total 1 Guy Rossi (FRA) 15:07:27 4 days 22:06:00 4 days 10:43:55 243:48:05 2 Rosendo Martinez (MEX) 12:56:55 4 days 23:34:07 7 days 17:19:02 318:35:21 Michael Roberts (USA) 26:19:33 6 days 21:12:43 DNF DNF Francisco Olvera (MEX) 27:05:52 6 days 23:19:35 DNF DNF Benöhr, Astrid (GER) 15:54:26 4 days 07:21:28 DQ DQ Notes: Pool swim, cycling and running on a short paved road loop in the city park. Race was not without a controversity. It was reported that one of the top female ultra-distance triathletes, Astrid Benöhr, was disqualified due to taking shortcuts during the running segment of the race. Such occured in the middle of the night and were observed by other athletes and support crews. First it was not reported to the race organizers (one athlete mentioned that since "the athletes were all very tired, they did't trust themselves", and "I saw a couple of irregularities but I thought maybe she had sat down next to the course. I also once saw her cutting the course but she made it look as though she was going to the bathroom."), until one of the members of Guy Rossi's support crew was surprised by the disappearance of Astrid from the course and reappearing very soon after Guy's arrival. This was duly reported. The lap times were checked and provided grounds for the race organizers to station additional race management personal through the night. Shortcuts were confirmed, and a video was taken of Astrid taking a significant shortcut of the running lap. Subsequently, Astrid was disqualified. Marco Flores reports: "During the Deca, Astrid Benöhr was disqualified due to taking shortcuts during the running trial. This was done in the middle of the night and was observed by athletes, maintenance people and support crews. Nobody reported this to the organizers until, finally, one of the members of Guy Rossi's support crew was surprised by the disappearance of the athlete on the course and reappearing very soon after Guy's arrival. This was reported. The times were checked and this gave way to suspicion, on behalf of the organizers, who stationed inspectors all night. They confirmed the occurrence and a video was taken of this athlete taking a significant shortcut of the running course, which is run in a loop. Subsequently the athlete was disqualified." Mike Roberts, one of the Decatriathlon finishers, reports that he is the first person to complete 100 Ironmans (32 singles, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 quads, 2 decas, 1 15-times Ironman length). He was among those who did the 1998 Deca and witnessed the actions of the disqualified triathlete. "The reason that the athletes didn't report Astrid is that we didn't really trust ourselves, since we were all very tired," Roberts says. "I saw a couple of irregularities (in where she was) but I thought maybe she had sat down next to the course. I also once saw her cutting the course but she made it look as though she hadn't made it to the bathroom." Posted on the Ultramarathon World: http://fox.nstn.ca/~dblaikie 6th Annual - 2000 RESULTS (November, Monterrey) Place Athlete Swim Bike Run Race Total 1 Pascal Pich (FRA) 13:12:58 109:00:03 195:27:26 2 Mario Rodriguez (MEX) 16:43:47 119:59:45 223:40:54 3 Beat Knechtle (SUI) 14:25:53 123:17:02 240:55:33 4 Martin Schytil (GER) 18:03:25 133:58:36 244:51:20 5 Guy Rossi (FRA) 16:12:59 143:57:00 248:16:25 6 Jacques Fox (LUX) 18:31:58 131:23:24 256:04:43 7 Christoph Eggenberger (SUI) 16:10:02 125:44:14 269:57:15 8 Silvia Andonie (MEX) 18:56:07 141:56:40 271:16:30 Angelica Castaneda (USA) 17:26:28 DNF DNF Silvia Wieneke (SUI) DNF DNF Notes: Marco Flores reports: "This year might be remembered as the year of the last Deca, at least in Monterrey. The race in Monterrey was plagued with incidents that went from a hot 38 degrees C swimming pool that exhausted the swimmers, and the abandonment of the race by two of the three women competitors due to family related accidents and sickness. Also, there were widespread errors in the accounting of laps, computer problems, a poorly organized final ceremony (same medal for all, no podium, no national anthem, no emotional ending, no speeches, no message) and poor press coverage. The race this year was a poor remembrance of a past glory. Promoted through the IUTA international circuit, it was attended by mostly by European competitors. Traditional American entries like Chet "the Jet" Blanton and Michel Roberts did not show up. (Michel is now father of a three month old child) and might be out of shape; as for the Jet, we have not heard from him for some months. Vilmantas Urbonas, the Lithuanian athlete who won the double deca, has been sick, I believe, seriously and it will be some time before we see him on the track again." Posted on the Ultramarathon World: http://fox.nstn.ca/~dblaikie